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Nanacatlon
Nanacatlon is a region in the Tzaltec Empire. Geography Located in the southernmost edge of the Earth Spine, Nanacatlon is almost devoid of habitable land above ground. What little there is is located inside the Green Fingers, and array of valleys in the region's south that form the rough shape of a pair of hands reaching up into the mountains from the green lands of the coast. It is here where most of the hunting is conducted, but there are few settlements. The reason for this seemingly sparse population is the region's most notable feature, a vast array of catacombs and tunnels running through the mountains from sea level almost to their peaks. Called the Great Maze by the people of Nanacatlon, it is in these sprawling, insulated chambers that the greatest of their settlements were founded. Though much of the Maze remains a mystery, the largest and most direct thoroughfares and caverns have been extensively explored. While this underground habitation may seem a poor life, it is made far more palatable by the presence of Glittering Walls. Fed by the snow banks high above, these natural waterfalls and small rivers eventually wind their way either deeper into the Maze or to feed waterways on the surface. In so doing, they provide the heartbeat to the region's industry and drinking water to its people. People The people of Nanacatlon are surprisingly developed for their situation, and were it not for the grand empires to their north they might be regarded as relatively advanced. Standing at an average height of five feet seven inches, they are universally pale from live spent underground. This has extended to their hair, which is most commonly blonde or even pure white, making them easily mistaken for albinos were it not for the deep, inky blue of their eyes. Cave explorers without compare, the lives of the maze dwellers have not allowed for great ease, and the majority of their art and music remains tied to their beloved caves. Intricate cave paintings retelling a settlement's history cover long-inhabited caves, and even the rarely visited areas of the Maze have a few fading images painted on their walls. The music of the Maze is most comparable to the sound of water in motion, chimes and wood flutes put to use in replicating the intricate harmonies of the waterfall. Before the Tzaltec, the people of the Maze were organized in a loose confederation of towns, sharing the largest caverns used as fungus farms and the rare natural reservoirs. While war existed it was infrequent and brief, the warriors more often called upon to fight off interlopers from the dark of the Deep Maze. Religion Before the coming of the Tzaltec, the people of the Maze worshiped the stone fathers, whose voices could be heard in the winds of the Maze. That belief remains, though for how long none can say. Resources Thanks to the abundant supply of copper and tin in the Great Maze, Bronze has become the primary metal of war and industry. Produced in some capacity by every settlement, it is in abundant supply. However, far more enticing is the unique fungus of the Maze - Violet Manzer. Possessed of miraculous regenerative properties when properly prepared, the medicinal fungus is the primary thing of worth found by the Tzaltec expedition. However, for their abundance of staple items the people of the Maze are woefully bereft of anything the outside world might consider a luxury. Enraptured of the bangles and coins brought by the Tzaltec for trade, they have developed a deep, some would say unhealthy, fascination with Gold. References http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17513971&postcount=7 Category:Regions Category:Regions of Telluris